Monday, 15 October 2012

I Vote United Kingdom!

Date: 14/10/12

Background: For my World Pudding theme of late in my blog, and simply because I love a cake lunch, I went to Marks and Spencer’s in ROYAL Leamington Spa. That statement itself is very British. I mean, Marks and Spencer (for those of you that do not know) is a major British retailer with 703 stores in the United Kingdom and 361 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It is a beacon of pure Britishness in all it’s glory, and the cafe does sell some rather tasty goodies. And as for Royal Leamington Spa, for those of my readers who have not had the pleasure of visiting this beautiful town, with it’s elegant stunning white townhouses, spacious parks, and well known for it’s often upmarket shops, you must add Leamington to your list of places you need to visit-if anything, for it’s culture!

What: Ginger and Treacle Loaf Cake

How Much?: £2.95

What was Good: Its dense rich amber colour was enticing enough. I am a sucker for a good loaf cake, especially if it has the words ‘ginger’ and ‘treacle’ in it’s name. My mouth started to water at the thought of it! I absolutely love the sticky and chewy qualities that treacle tends to give cakes, and with the Autumn arriving as if from nowhere, with turning leaves and a cold chill in the air, the idea of a warming ginger spice was a very welcome one. The topping of the cake was an interesting choice, but more on that later. The loaf cake certainly delivered on the texture front. It was moist, dense but not cloy-y, very flavoursome confection, and I enjoyed it very much. I will definitely be trying to make/bake and review this cake, so watch this space!

What was Bad: Unfortunately, I was not entirely sold on the topping. It was drizzled with a little white chocolate icing, however it could have been yoghurt , and sprinkled with crystalized ginger. I can see why the crystallized ginger is appropriate, I did not like the texture, and the icing, although not unpleasant, I do not believe ‘went’ with the gingery cake. When making it myself I will also ensure that more ginger is added to the actual cake batter itself, because although it had a lovely flavour, I believe it could have benefitted from being more robust!